CDL Requirements in North Dakota
Verified against North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division ·
Compiled and verified against primary state DMV/DPS/BMV sources by GetCDLLicense — cite-or-deny, with no invented figures. How we source & verify →
North Dakota's CDL program sits within the Department of Transportation's Driver License Division and prices nearly everything as small flat statutory fees rather than a single license price: a $15 application fee for either a permit or a license ($20 if non-domiciled), $5 for each knowledge or road test attempt, and $3 for each endorsement (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19). Two features are structurally distinctive: North Dakota certifies independent Third-Party Testing Programs and Third-Party Testers to administer CDL skills tests (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-07), and it issues a Commercial Learner's Permit valid for up to a full year (renewable for a second year) rather than the roughly 180-day permits common elsewhere, while also allowing a CDL restricted to custom-harvest farm work to be issued to a 16-year-old.
North Dakota's CDL requirements — including a $15 commercial learner permit fee and an intrastate minimum age of 18 — are verified against North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division (see NDDOT — Commercial Driver License (CDL)), current as of 2026-07-25.
North Dakota CDL Requirements at a Glance
This is the fee, age, and testing detail for North Dakotaspecifically — for the full step-by-step process see how to get a CDL, and for what Class A, B, and C each permit see CDL classes.
| Commercial learner’s permit (CLP) | |
|---|---|
| CLP fee | $15 |
| Minimum holding period before skills test | 14 days |
| CLP validity | 12 months |
| Age minimums | |
| Intrastate minimum age | 18 |
| Interstate minimum age | 21 (federal floor) |
| Fees | |
| Application fee | $15 |
| Initial CDL fee | — |
| Renewal fee | — |
| Renewal period | 4 years — a commercial license expires on the licensee's birthday in the second subsequent year matching the birth year's odd/even parity (N.D.C.C. §39-06-19(3)) |
| Knowledge test fee | $5 |
| Skills test fee | $5 |
| Testing rules | |
| Third-party testers allowed | Yes |
| Retest waiting period | 1 day |
Other published fees
- Application for a CDL or CLP, non-domiciled applicant: $20
- Each CDL endorsement (H, N, P, S, T, or X): $3
The $15 fee (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19(2)(b); $20 for a non-domiciled applicant) is set in statute as a single application fee for 'a commercial driver's license or permit' rather than two separate charges. A CLP may not be issued for longer than one year and, after that year, may be reissued for a second one-year term; the holder is not eligible for a CDL until the permit has been held at least 14 days. Hazmat (H) and Doubles/Triples (T) endorsements may not be added to a CLP. Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements are allowed on a CLP, but the holder may carry no passengers other than the supervising CDL holder or a driver examiner. A Tank (N) endorsement is allowed on a CLP only for empty tanks with no hazardous-material residue.
18 to 20 years old for an intrastate-only CDL; 21 or older to cross state lines (interstate commerce). A Class A, B, or C CDL restricted to custom-harvest operations only may be issued to an individual as young as 16 who passes the required exams (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-06(8)).
NDDOT both administers CDL knowledge and road tests directly at driver license sites and certifies independent Third-Party Testing Programs and Third-Party Testers (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-07; 49 CFR Part 383.75) to conduct the vehicle inspection, basic control skills, and road tests. The knowledge test may be attempted only once per day, and each attempt (pass or fail) costs the $5 test fee again — there is no multi-attempt bundle. No source states a fixed day-based cooling-off period specific to a failed road test.
North Dakota CDL Endorsements
| Endorsement | Available | Fee | Knowledge test | Skills test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazardous materials (H) | Yes | $3 | Yes | No |
| Tank vehicle (N) | Yes | $3 | Yes | No |
| Doubles/triples (T) | Yes | $3 | Yes | No |
| Passenger (P) | Yes | $3 | Yes | Yes |
| School bus (S) | Yes | $3 | Yes | Yes |
Hazardous materials: Hazardous Materials (H) endorsement, $3 (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19(2)(c)). Must be retested (knowledge test) at every CDL renewal to retain the endorsement. Not allowed on a Commercial Learner's Permit. North Dakota also issues a combined Tank-and-Hazardous-Materials (X) endorsement for tank vehicles carrying hazmat, at the same $3 fee.
Tank vehicle: Tank Vehicle (N) endorsement, $3 (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19(2)(c)), required when hauling liquids or gases in a tank (or tanks) of more than 119 gallons individual / 1,000 gallons aggregate rated capacity. Allowed on a Commercial Learner's Permit, but restricted to empty tanks only while on a permit.
Doubles/triples: Doubles/Triples (T) endorsement, $3 (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19(2)(c)). Not allowed on a Commercial Learner's Permit.
Passenger: Passenger (P) endorsement, $3 (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19(2)(c)); requires a road test in a representative passenger vehicle. Allowed on a Commercial Learner's Permit, but no passengers other than the supervising CDL holder or a driver examiner may be carried while on a permit.
School bus: School Bus (S) endorsement, $3 (N.D.C.C. §39-06.2-19(2)(c)); requires a road test in a representative school bus equipped with flashing red loading/unloading lights. Allowed on a Commercial Learner's Permit under the same no-extra-passengers restriction as the Passenger endorsement. A driver who road-tests in a bus under 26,001 lbs. GVWR is restricted to 'No Class A or B Passenger Bus.'
For what each endorsement permits, the federal knowledge/skills testing baseline behind it, and hazmat’s separate TSA security threat assessment, see CDL endorsements.
Federal requirements that apply in North Dakota
These are set by federal regulators and are the same in every US jurisdiction. Full detail here.
- Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT). Since February 2022, first-time CDL applicants — and drivers upgrading to Class A or seeking a first-time school bus, passenger, or hazmat endorsement — must complete Entry-Level Driver Training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before testing.
- DOT medical certificate. Most CDL holders who operate in interstate commerce must hold a valid DOT medical examiner's certificate, issued by an examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.
- Interstate minimum age. Federal rules set 21 as the minimum age to drive commercially across state lines; states set their own intrastate minimum, commonly 18.
- Hazmat security threat assessment. A hazardous materials endorsement additionally requires a TSA security threat assessment, which is a federal process separate from the state endorsement.
Self-certification in North Dakota
North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division administers self-certification for the following FMCSA operating categories:
- Non-Excepted Interstate
- Non-Excepted Intrastate
- Excepted Interstate
- Excepted Intrastate
North Dakota's CDL Manual and Self-Certification Affidavit label these categories 'Category 1' (Non-Excepted Interstate) through 'Category 4' (Excepted Intrastate); both Intrastate categories (3 and 4) carry license restriction 'K'.
Source Notes
Where a source is stale, conflicting, or required a judgment call, we document it here rather than presenting a single confident-sounding number. See our methodology for how these calls are made.
- North Dakota can issue a Class A, B, or C CDL restricted to custom-harvest farm operations to an applicant as young as 16 — younger than the 18-year intrastate floor that applies to every other CDL use in the state.
- North Dakota's Commercial Learner's Permit is valid for up to a full year (and can be reissued for a second year), notably longer than the roughly 180-day CLP validity common in many other states.
means no primary source publishes that figure — left blank on purpose rather than estimated or copied from an unverified aggregator.
Sources
- NDDOT — Commercial Driver License (CDL)
- N.D. Century Code Chapter 39-06.2 — Commercial Driver's License
- N.D. Century Code §39-06-19 — Expiration of License; Renewal
- NDDOT — How to Apply for a Commercial Driver License (CDL)
- NDDOT — CDL Third Party Testing
- NDDOT — 2025-2027 Commercial Driver License Manual
- NDDOT — Hazardous Material Requirements
- NDDOT — How to Renew a Commercial Driver License (CDL)
Data last verified: 2026-07-25 (verified by: agent) | Source: North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), Driver License Division